ahhh so much truth.

lovelitemusic:

Andrew and I (Jen) are an Apple family. We should be getting some kind of endorsement or discount from that company for the amount that we use all of their products, both personally and for our music. Needless to say, I have an iPhone. I like my iPhone, but over the last few days, I’ve realized…

Identity Crisis…

Merriam-Webster: Identity Crisis - a feeling of unhappiness and confusion caused by not being sure about what type of person you really are or what the true purpose of your life is.

I want to pose to you the question I have been tackling for the last couple of months: what defines you? In an attempt to describe where identity is found, many begin to list off some attributes, maybe talents, school, work, etc. For those of us who are saved, we would venture to say Christ. But here is my issue. I am saved, so I know that Christ defines me. I know He gives me my identity as a child of God, seated at the right hand of the Father. My faith in Him gives me this position no matter what I do, and this is a BEAUTIFUL thing. Yet while my eternal position is unchanging, how I live my life here on earth is conditioned upon what I really believe to be true. You see my understanding of belief (and one I think is highly supported in the Bible) is that true belief changes a lifestyle. My true belief in something should show in how I live my life. This means I can look at my life and see areas where my heart knowledge (my actions) doesn’t line up with my head knowledge (my stated beliefs). So back to the question of what defines me…I know I am found by Christ and my identity is in Him alone. But I live day to day in fear of man’s opinion, striving to be accepted and loved. I live looking to friends and peers to find my status, my identity. All this causes is anxiety, stress, struggle and strife. What nonsense! The problem here is easily identified: I have not yet acquired the heart knowledge to find my identity in Christ. You might find your identity in work or in school, in family or in relationships, in status and in popularity. If you seek your identity in ANYTHING other than Jesus Christ, you will be like me, suffering from an identity crisis, ridden with anxiety and consumed by unsettlement. To those of us who know Jesus Christ as Lord: we are children of the Most High God. Walk in the freedom and grace He showers upon us. He has accepted us. What more could we ever want?

Ephesians 1:3-8 - “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence”

Food for thought:

“A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished.” -Proverbs 27:12. How do you respond when you know your areas of weakness?

Picture this:

God is for my enjoyment. As I grow in my knowledge of Him, I experience Him more and enjoy Him more. He enriches my life and that is why I have a relationship with God, right? WRONG. Well, kind of. Let me explain. You see, this has been my thinking for a really long time. And I probably would not have blatantly stated this, but as I have analyzed my walk with God, I can see from my behavior that I have understood God to exist for me. But notice, this is such a skewed point of view. Close analyses of Scripture reveals that you and I exist FOR God. Period. Now there is much truth in the fact that as we grow in our knowledge of who God is and as we grow closer in our walk with Him, we experience Him more and enjoy Him more. This is absolutely true. Yet, thinking that God exists for our pleasure is a deadly poison that misconstrues the meaning of our existence. We are for God. We exist for His pleasure, and He rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). He allures us to Himself and betroths us to Him (Hosea 2). His thoughts towards us are precious and countless (Psalm 139:17). He chooses us to stand before Him and to minister to Him (2 Chronicles 29:11). He sees His saints (us) as HIS inheritance (Ephesians 1:18). What an intimate understanding of our God this unfolds. View your life as it truly is: for your Creator. Live to bring Him pleasure. Let that change your life. I know it’s changing mine.

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” –Revelation 4:11

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’"

Brokenness

Brokenness: what does it mean? Webster’s dictionary gives the following definitions for broken: “violently separated into parts, damaged or altered by breaking; having undergone or been subjected to fracture; disrupted by change; made weak or infirm; subdued completely; reduced in rank.” Brokenness is something the Lord has been teaching me to accept, forcing me to experience. Of the definitions previously listed, I was particularly fond of “disrupted by change.” Of course, brokenness is typically associated with recognizing that we are weak and sinful; as a response to these qualities, we are to submit humbly in fear of a holy God who still chooses to adore us.  But for me, I have seen brokenness made clear by disruption and change, and as a result have recognized my weak and sinful state. I am not one to like change.  In fact, I often grow distressed and depressed by it. But change is good. Change is usually a tool used to make me grow in dependence on the Lord’s provision. And this month, change has caused a major sense of brokenness in me. Even though I may not like these new trials I am walking through, I take joy in them, rejoicing, knowing that they are producing patience (James 1:2) and causing a broken spirit within me.  “For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— these, O God, You will not despise.” Psalm 51: 16-17. Oh God, I am nothing. I am undone before You. Thank You, Lord, that my broken heart is a sacrifice to You.